07/03/2014

A federal jury in Camden, NJ has convicted reputed Lucchese soldier Nicodemo S. Scarfo a/k/a Nicky Jr. and his boy wonder sidekick Salvatore Pelullo on racketeering and other charges for the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of the publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc. as reported by Julia Terruso for The Inquirer. Also convicted were "John Maxwell, the firm's former CEO, and his attorney brother William" but "three attorneys charged in the case, Donald Manno, Gary McCarthy and David Adler, were acquitted on all counts."

06/18/2014

A federal jury will begin deliberations in the racketeering case against reputed Lucchese soldier Nicodemo S. Scarfo a/k/a Nicky Jr. and six others for their alleged roles in the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of the publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc. as reported by The Inquirer. Let's hope that Scarfo is not unfairly prejudiced before the jury simply because four of his co-defendants are lawyers; after all, the legal profession on the whole is held in low esteem by the general public, and it would be unfortunate if any of that enmity spilled over to pollute Scarfo.

10/29/2013

Jury selection has begun in the federal trial in Camden, NJ against reputed
Lucchese soldier Nicodemo S. Scarfo a/k/a Nicky Jr. and his supposed associate Salvatore Pelullo for their alleged roles in the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of the publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc. as reported by Julia Terruso for the Inquirer.

Funny enough, four lawyers also are charged in the alleged scheme, and "New York City attorneys Gary McCarthy and David Adler, Texas attorney
William Maxwell, and Scarfo's longtime criminal defense attorney, Donald
Manno, will aim to prove they were working in a legal capacity -
representing mobsters - and not working with them."

Last month West Reading, PA lawyer Cory Leshner pleaded guilty in the case, and he faces
five years when sentenced on January 17 and has agreed "to not seek the reinstatement of his license to
practice law while serving any prison sentence" as reported by Stephanie Weaver for the Reading Eagle.

11/17/2012

Todd Stark received six months in prison after pleading guilty to purchasing two boxes of 9mm bullets for reputed Lucchese soldier
Lucchese soldier Nicodemo "Junior" Scarfo as reported by Sam Wood for The Inquirer.

Stark was the driver for alleged Scarfo associate Salvatore Pelullo,
and in a December 2007 telephone conversation secretly recorded by the
FBI Pelullo seemingly asked Stark to purchase the ammo for Scarfo to
which Stark replied "absolutely."

10/10/2012

Salvatore Pelullo was indicted last year for his alleged role in the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc., and as he stews in jail awaiting trial is venting through a blog as reported by George Anastasia for The Inquirer:

A friend of Pelullo's, who set up the blog, said "he wants to get
people interested in his case . . . and aware of what's going on." The
friend, who asked not to be identified, said Pelullo sends his posts
via regular mail or e-mail and they are then transferred to the blog
site.

Others indicted for their alleged roles in the case include reputed Lucchese soldier Nicodemo "Junior" Scarfo.

Stark was the driver for alleged Scarfo associate Salvatore Pelullo, and in a December 2007 telephone conversation secretly recorded by the FBI Pelullo seemingly asked Stark to purchase the ammo for Scarfo to which Stark replied "absolutely."

11/27/2011

Earlier this month the feds indicted reputed Lucchese mobster Nicodemo Scarfo Jr. and 12 others for their alleged roles in the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of the publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc. which is based in Irving, TX, and in walking through the alleged scheme George Anastasia from The Philadelphia Inquirer aptly invokes the line from The Godfather that "a man with a briefcase can steal more than a man with a gun."

11/01/2011

The feds have indicted reputed Lucchese mobster Nicodemo Scarfo Jr. and 12 others, including Scarfo's wife Lisa Murray-Scarfo, for their alleged roles in the extortionate takeover and systematic looting of the publicly-traded mortgage company FirstPlus Financial Group, Inc. which is based in Irving, TX as reported by Jerry DeMarco for the Cliffview Pilot:

A federal bankruptcy trustee has put the overall take at $4.86 million. However, federal authorities today said FirstPlus milked $12 million from investors by buying or investing in shell companies the two established with Philadelphia and South Jersey addresses.

The crew allegedly responsible for this job wasn't staffed with common street thugs but white collar professionals, and among the indicted are five lawyers and a certified public accountant as reported by The Associated Press: "'The criminal activity is evolving,' said Michael Ward, agent-in-charge of the FBI in Newark. 'It's going from the back alleys to the boardrooms.'"

Of course, although a white collar scheme, some of the alleged tactics still invoked traditional mob degeneracy, and the feds accuse co-defendant Salvatore Pelullo of threatening a member of the FirstPlus board "that if he didn't go along with the plan, 'your kids will be sold off as prostitutes.'"

Nicky Jr. is the son of imprisoned Philly mob boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo who is named as an unindicted co-conspirator. The mob scion also was busted last year in a New Jersey gambling case which remains pending.